Council Modernizes Purchasing Code as Water District Reveals Multi-Billion-Dollar Canal Overhaul

Concord's City Council took a significant step toward faster, more flexible public construction procurement while getting its first detailed look at a generational infrastructure challenge: replacing a 90-year-old, 48-mile open canal that loses 2 billion gallons of water a year. The Aug. 11 meeting also featured emotional pleas from residents urging formal discussion of immigrant protections and a warm farewell to a city clerk who served Concord for nearly two decades.

• Council unanimously authorizes design-build procurement, potentially cutting a year off the police department roof and HVAC project timeline
• Contra Costa Water District unveils multi-billion-dollar plan to replace its aging open canal with enclosed steel pipeline, with potential $10–$20/month rate increases starting around 2029
• Residents demand SB 580 discussion, citing ICE enforcement fears on Monument Boulevard, student detentions and businesses losing up to 75% of revenue
• $2M+ sewer repair contract approved despite concerns about cutting into recently resurfaced streets
• City Clerk Joelle Fockler honored as all five councilmembers offer personal tributes ahead of her departure after 19 years of service

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Design-Build Comes to Concord

The basics: Design-build is a project delivery method authorized for California general law cities under SB 785 (2015) that bundles architectural design and construction into a single contract — rather than the traditional two-step process where a city designs a project first, then separately bids out construction. Concord had never adopted the authority until now.

Why it matters: The shift could save up to a year on the city's most pressing capital project — a deteriorating police department roof and HVAC system — and sets the template for how Concord builds public facilities going forward.

Where things stand: Director of Finance Margaret O'Brien presented two linked actions: an ordinance updating Municipal Code Chapter 3.10 to modernize purchasing language and authorize design-build, and a resolution adopting Policy and Procedure 185, a state-required conflict-of-interest policy that must be in place before a city can use design-build.

O'Brien emphasized the guardrails: "To be clear about what these updates do and don't do, they do not change purchasing thresholds or council's approval authority," she said. The ordinance also recognizes electronic bidding through a new e-procurement platform and cleans up obsolete references, but leaves dollar thresholds and council sign-off requirements untouched. Design-build authority applies to buildings and park/recreation facilities over $1 million and to safety/homeland security technology with no cost threshold.

Councilmember Pablo Benavente zeroed in on timeline savings. "If this was not design-build for the PD, we're looking at potentially a year and a half to two years. With this ordinance, it could speed things up by six months to a year," he said. Associate Civil Engineer Will Wah Bay confirmed that estimate.

The other side: Councilmember Carlyn Obringer pressed on a concern likely to resonate with residents skeptical of government contracting: subjectivity. "When I hear best value, it sounds very subjective to me, like it's whoever staff likes best. So can you help me understand what the difference would be," she said. Purchasing Agent Jen Chesterman explained that best-value criteria — qualifications, technical approach, and past experience — are pre-defined and publicly documented before solicitation, not decided after the fact.

Public commenter Robin Kuslitz, a District 3 resident, urged the council to factor prevailing wages into best-value determinations so that builders could afford to live in the community they build. The city attorney clarified that prevailing wage is already legally required on all public construction projects and that the statutory best-value criteria are set by state law.

Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister confirmed the city's Project Stabilization Agreement, which requires union-standard labor terms on projects over $750,000, still applies to design-build contracts. Councilmember Benavente also confirmed the ordinance has no applicability to the Concord Naval Weapons Station development.

Decisions: Both the ordinance introduction and resolution adoption passed unanimously (For: 5, Against: 0, Absent: 0).

What's next: The ordinance requires a second reading for final adoption at a future meeting. Staff indicated the police department roof and HVAC replacement would be the first project pursued under the new authority.

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A 48-Mile Problem: CCWD's Canal Replacement Plan

Why it matters: Every water customer in central Contra Costa County could see $10–$20/month rate increases beginning around 2029 to fund the replacement of a Depression-era canal that loses roughly 2 billion gallons of water a year, faces seismic and contamination risks, and has suffered more than 200 storm-related slides in a single season.

Where things stand: Rachel, representing Contra Costa Water District on behalf of Board President Ernie Avila, delivered a sweeping presentation on the district's plan to replace its 48-mile Contra Costa Canal — built in the 1930s and '40s — with enclosed steel pipeline ranging from 8 to 11 feet in diameter. The main canal section, approximately 20 miles from Oakley/Antioch to Clyde, is the priority replacement zone.

"We lose about 2 billion gallons of water per year from that facility from evaporation and leakage, but most significantly from evaporation," Rachel said. The canal also poses life-safety hazards and is vulnerable to contamination from its open design.

The first four miles in the Knightsen/Oakley area are already under construction. A critical constraint: the canal cannot be taken out of service during replacement, requiring pumped bypass systems for each construction segment. Each construction package is expected to rival the scale of the original Los Vaqueros Reservoir project.

"I can tell you this is a multi-billion-dollar program. And so we are very thoughtful in how we are planning to segment this," Rachel said. On rates, she estimated costs "potentially in the neighborhood of $10 to $20 a month for the program, assuming we don't get any external, state or federal funding." Rate discussions are anticipated around 2028, with impacts starting around 2029. MOTCO has already allocated $1.3 million in federal funding for initial pipeline alignment fieldwork, and environmental review is expected to be complete by 2028.

Council members pressed on several regional concerns. Vice Mayor Dominic Aliano asked about the Delta tunnel project's impact on CCWD water supply. Rachel said the district has a settlement agreement addressing water quality mitigation and has not taken a formal position on the tunnels. Councilmember Hoffmeister asked whether pipe sizing accounts for future development at the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Rachel confirmed there is sufficient water supply and that the district is coordinating with the Brookfield development team on phasing.

Councilmember Benavente raised a sore point for residents: coordination with city road projects. "When we are fixing our roads or paving our new roads, we put fresh pavement and then we get an emergency notice. We have to do excavating. And now there's a bump in our new road," he said. Councilmember Hoffmeister echoed the frustration, pushing for faster permanent pavement restoration after emergency pipe repairs.

The district is also in early coordination with East Bay Regional Park District and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority on potential multimodal trail uses for the canal right-of-way — a feature that could add recreational and transportation value as the pipeline is buried.

No vote was taken; this was an informational presentation.

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Residents Sound Alarm on Immigration Enforcement

Why it matters: A coordinated group of speakers delivered an urgent message: ICE enforcement activity is reshaping daily life in Concord, from school bus stops to local businesses, and the council has not yet formally discussed SB 580 — a state law that establishes protections for immigrants in local government interactions.

Where things stand: Three speakers during public comment — plus the daughter of one — called on the council to agendize a formal discussion of SB 580.

Ruth Bo Kemper, a 15-year Concord resident, described walking her children to the bus stop in fear of ICE agents operating near Monument Boulevard. Yvette Maruri, a Diablo Valley College professor and tri-chair of the Dreamers Alliance, reported students contacting her about young people being detained, including one cousin detained over a weekend and released on GPS monitoring. Maruri also described canvassing local businesses with the Concord Immigration Protection Network and finding that while business owners welcomed the outreach, some reported devastating revenue declines — with one business reporting revenue down 75% as immigrant customers avoid going out.

Her daughter, Sirena Saldivar, echoed calls for inclusive community dialogue, and Natalia, a District 2 constituent who identified herself as an undocumented immigrant with two degrees and more than 20 years in the country, demanded the council take up the issue.

All speakers asked the council to place SB 580 on a future agenda. No council action was taken during public comment.

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Sewer Repairs Will Cut Into Freshly Paved Streets

Why it matters: Critical sewer line failures identified through closed-circuit television (CCTV) pipe inspection cannot wait for the city's road paving moratorium to expire, forcing the city to cut into recently resurfaced streets.

Where things stand: Mayor Laura Nakamura and Councilmember Obringer pulled Item 4D from the consent calendar for public discussion. Project Manager Twin Saw explained that the city's SURA master plan evaluation identified critical sewer locations, which CCTV inspections confirmed. Armond Drive required the most invasive open-trench method — a five-foot-wide trench dug to pipe depth — because the severity of pipe sags and offsets ruled out less intrusive approaches.

Although Armond Drive was recently cape-sealed, staff said the sewer line was unlikely to hold up much longer, and the cost of re-slurry-sealing was minimal relative to the overall repair. The street will be slurry-sealed to match its current appearance upon completion.

Councilmember Hoffmeister pressed on durability, asking staff to ensure the slurry seal over the trench patch would hold up as well as the existing cape seal. The project also includes work on Bonhomme Way, a 40-foot cast iron pipe segment replacement on San Simeon, and Regency Drive in the City of Clayton — included because Clayton residents pay the same sewer rates and share the capital replacement fund.

Decisions: Approved unanimously (For: 5, Against: 0, Absent: 0).

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A Warm Farewell for City Clerk Joelle Fockler

Mayor Nakamura read a detailed tribute recognizing City Clerk Joelle Fockler's career at Concord, which began in 2007 as an administrative assistant in economic development and led to her appointment as city clerk in November 2014. "Every interaction I've ever seen with you has been of the utmost respect and dignity for whoever you have been dealing with," the mayor said.

Each councilmember added personal reflections: Vice Mayor Aliano thanked her for patience; Councilmember Obringer praised her work running mock council meetings with student groups; Councilmember Hoffmeister noted her role as a central access point for community inquiries and her mentoring of other city clerks across the region; and Councilmember Benavente recalled pulling his first set of candidate papers from Fockler's office as a 23-year-old.

Fockler responded with characteristic directness: "I would still be here if another agency didn't make me an offer I couldn't refuse."

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Minor Items

• Consent calendar (Items A–I, excluding B and D) approved unanimously 5-0, including routine contract and administrative actions.
• Brian Capuro appointed to the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission (5-0). Councilmember Benavente pulled the item to hear from the selection committee; Councilmember Hoffmeister and Councilmember Obringer praised Capuro's familiarity with the parks plan and active use of trails and playgrounds as a District 4 parent.
• Public commenter Mike McDermott praised the city's homeless strategic plan, school resource officers, and road paving progress. He defended Flock camera surveillance technology and encouraged a future council presentation on the system.
• Public commenter Ariane spoke about gun violence concerns following a recent In-N-Out shooting, citing 2026 national statistics of 273 dead, 282 shootings, and 1,202 injured as of July 31.
• Councilmembers reported attending National Night Out events, Junior Giants graduation (program grew to approximately 600 participants, up from 400 two years ago), and backpack distributions hosted by the Central County Family Justice Center and Moose Lodge. Councilmember Hoffmeister noted a $10,000 Giants Foundation college scholarship was awarded to a local participant. La Concordia Wellness Center celebrates its second anniversary on Aug. 21. Thursday night concerts continue at Todos Santos Park.